1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to certain alkoxylated compounds, e.g. alkoxylated fatty alcohols, fatty acids, fatty esters and phenols, and especially novel substituted alkoxylated phenols, and their use in cosmetic gel formulations, and in particular, their use in novel sodium stearate gel stick formulations.
2. Prior Art
It has been found that prior art gel compositions, particularly sodium stearate gel stick formulations, designated as clear or translucent do not have the degree of clarity desirable in such products. Moreover, many of the prior art products tend to become cloudy or hazy after standing for a period of time. Typically the haziness becomes progressively worse, so that after about a month the product is cloudy and can be said to have little or no transparency. Since products such as these are stored for one or more months subsequent to manufacture, the length of time a product retains a major portion of its transparency is an important characteristic. Numerous patents exist relating to sodium stearate stick formulations and alkoxylated compounds, such as alkoxylated phenols, and their use. See for example the following:
______________________________________ U.S. PAT. NO. INVENTOR ______________________________________ 2,213,477 Steindorff et al 2,465,470 Omohundro et al 2,593,112 Cross et al 3,226,352 Helin et al 3,839,212 McCoy 4,226,889 Yuhas 4,252,789 Broad 4,268,498 Gedeon et al 4,322,400 Yuhas 4,504,465 Sampson 4,606,837 McEntire et al 4,617,185 DiPietro 4,842,762 Sabol et al 4,954,333 Ward ______________________________________
More specifically:
Steindorff et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,213,477 discloses parasubstituted ethoxylated phenols having from 6 to 25 ethoxy groups and from 8 to 20 carbons in the alkyl substituent. The compounds are described as useful as wetting agents, softening agents or auxiliary agents for finishing textiles as well as other uses. PA1 Cross et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,593,112 discloses di-substituted ethoxylated phenols having from 10 to 25 ethoxy groups. Hydrophobic groups containing 8 and 12 carbons are disclosed. The compounds are described as being useful as wetting agents. PA1 Helin et al, U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,352 discloses parasubstituted ethoxylated phenols having from 7 to 15 ethoxy groups. A hydrophobic group containing 9 carbons is disclosed. PA1 McCoy, U.S. Pat. No. 3,839,212 discloses a nonyl ethoxylated phenol having 30 ethoxy groups. McCoy is directed to a process for converting polymeric alkoxylated substrates containing from 1 to 50 alkoxylated groups that are normally insoluble in mineral oil to compounds that are soluble in mineral oil. PA1 McEntire et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,837 discloses water-glycol fluids made from polyoxyalkylene thickeners that employ dinonylphenol that is ethoxylated. A preferred range of ethoxylation is 40:1 to 500:1 and dodecylphenol may be ethoxylated. PA1 Omohundro et al, U.S. Pat. No. 2,465,470 discloses an insect repellent stick that employs a sodium stearate gel. PA1 Yuhas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,1189 discloses a sodium stearate based stick that includes polyethylene glycol additives. Yuhas '889 is directed to a stick composition consisting essentially of (a) 100 parts by weight of water and from about 1 to about 30 parts by weight of sodium stearate and (b) an active ingredient in the range of from about 0.05 to about 50 weight percent of the total weight of the composition. PA1 Yuhas, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,400 discloses a cosmetic stick that is sodium stearate based and has polyethylene glycol and sodium chloride, which reduces syneresis. PA1 DiPietro, U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,185 discloses deodorant sticks that employ sodium stearate and a condensation product having a formula set out at column 6, lines 20-23 which includes ethoxy and propoxy groups. PA1 Sabol et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,762 discloses a laundry soil and stain remover in applicator stick form. Formulations are set out in Examples 1 and 4 in which Donylphenol ethoxylate and stearic acid are employed. In Example 4, sodium ions are also present. PA1 Broad, U.S. Pat. No. 4,252,789 is of interest for its disclosure of deodorant sticks that include a mixture of sodium stearate and sodium palmitate and an ethoxylated polyethylene imine. PA1 Sampson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,465 is of interest for its disclosure of cosmetic sticks that have ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide condensation products. PA1 Ward, U.S. Pat. No. 4,954,333 is of interest for its disclosure of transparent antiperspirant stick compositions that are not sodium stearate based. PA1 wherein R.sub.4 is (a) lanolin, (h) mono- and di-glycerides of C.sub.12 to C.sub.22 fatty acids, or (c) C.sub.12 to C.sub.22 fatty acids; and PA1 R is an ethyl or propyl substituent and n is from 50 to 200. PA1 wherein R.sub.4 is (a) lanolin, (b) mono- and di-glycerides of to C.sub.22 fatty acids, or (c) a .sub.12 to C.sub.22 fatty acid; and PA1 R is an ethyl or propyl substituent and n is from 50 to 200. More specifically: PA1 a] The alkoxylated esters of lanolin, mono and di-glycerides of C.sub.12 to C.sub.22 fatty acids described herein give some improvement in clarity, but make overly soft sticks; PA1 b] Alkoxylated fatty acids of C.sub.12 to C.sub.22 described herein, such as stearic, give some improvement in clarity, but also make overly soft sticks; PA1 c] The alkoxylated fatty alcohols impart good clarity to such gel sticks, with higher molecular weight alcohols, giving the best results, e.g. Steareth-100, along with good stick integrity; and PA1 d] The preferred alkoxylated substituted phenols described herein impart very good clarity and structural integrity to the sticks, with higher molecular weight substituted phenols, e.g. POE[150] dinonyl phenol, POE[200] pentadecyl phenol, being the best.
Gedeon et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,268,498 discloses a clear cosmetic stick comprised of a number of ingredients, none of which includes sodium stearate or a hydrophobe substituted alkoxylated phenol. At column 1, lines 8-15, there is a disclosure that sodium stearate based sticks get hazy and cloudy.
Additionally, European Patent Application No. 911052587 (Publication No. 0 450 597A2) describes a gel stick which incorporates a water dispersible emollient that is a polyoxyethylene ether of a branched chain fatty alcohol, the fatty alcohol having from 8 to about 22 carbons and the average number of ethylene glycol ether units being from about 1 to 6. The gel stick composition has enhanced transparency to the transmission of light.
None of the aforedescribed references teach or suggest the novel class of substituted alkoxylated phenols described and claimed herein. Additionally, none of the aforedescribed patents teach or suggest the use of these compounds and other similarly alkoxylated compounds in sodium stearate stick formulations and the advantages derived therefrom.